Chapter 65: Chapter 65 THE SCENT

SJ ran after his father’s scent, it was untraceable to the others but to him, it was as clear as day. He found him leaning against an oak tree.

“Hey, dad.”

“Come here.” Stephan pulled him into his arms and sniffed in the scent of his hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to imagine how your sister smells like, which, by the way, is not like you.” He teased.

“Hey, I had a busy night yesterday, didn’t have time to shower.” SJ tried to keep up the light mood.

“I heard about that. I’m proud of you, keeping your home safe as you did require a lot of courage.” He mock punched his son across the jaw.

“I’d like to take all the credit, but Aunt Kayla kicked butt too.” SJ blushed as he combed his fingers through his hair.

“I wasn’t able to find your sister, but don’t worry I will soon.” Guilt dripped from his tone.

“Is that why you are leaning on this tree? Are you hoping you could sip in some of its strength?”

“I need all the strength the heavens and earth can spare.”

“You have ours. I believe that you will bring Chrissy home.”

“Thank you.” The faith his son had in him was priceless. He wondered how he was able to survive the chaos he had introduced in his life and still be reasonable.

“So besides wanting its strength, why did you curve an E on this tree?” SJ let his finger trace the outline of the letter.

“I don’t curve son. I don’t think it’s me. It must have been done by the previous owners of this estate.” Stephan didn’t bother looking.

“Nope, it’s still green and damp. This is fresh Dad.”

He looked at the side of the tree, wondering how he could have missed it. “It is fresh.”

“Look over there. The tree across has a K on it.”

“The one behind you has an R. What is this?” Stephan took a step back, standing where he could see all the three letters together. As he took a wide look, he could see two other letters curved on other trees.

“Dad, what does BAKER mean? Is it a baker at a bakery shop or something? Free advertising?” He smirked.

Stephan didn’t listen as his son mumbled on. He was trying to decipher the meaning of the word, at the same time figure out who wrote it. The only significance the word had for him was the location. But why would someone curve out the letters on trees?

“Baker? Wait, isn’t that the place you and mom go for your anniversary?” SJ pointed out.

“Baker beach. Ipanema beach.” Stephan made the connection.

“Ipanema that sounds cool-,” SJ leaped back when Stephan began attacking the trees.

“Dad, what’s going on?”

Stephan charged at the trees knocking them off their roots. “That bitch!”

“Dad!” SJ sprinted towards the house.

“Mom!”

“What?” in a panic Scarlet shot out of her seat. “What’s wrong baby?”

“It’s dad, he’s gone crazy.”

“What?”

“SJ come here. What’s going on with your dad?” Solara pulled the boy towards him.

“Deforestation! Dad is knocking down the trees.”

“He is just letting off some steam. It’s been a long day for him.” Xavier suggested.

“No way. He was calm. Then I showed him the letters on the trees and he mumbled something like Ipanema, then Baker beach. Then a second later he went loco.” SJ huffed out.

“Oh shit!” Solara was the first to realize what was happening, he darted off to the forest, and the rest followed.

SJ overtook them, he was much faster than they were. He found Stephan stomping on the trees that now lay on the ground.

“Dad!” he called out, but Stephan was blinded by his rage.

“SJ move back.” Scarlet didn’t want him to be caught in the path of his father’s destruction.

“Jade, go back to the house. Take SJ with you.” Kayla instructed when the look on her daughter’s face turned to that of fury. She was mirroring Stephan’s rage and they didn’t need her to mirror his actions.

“I want to stay,” SJ said defiantly.

“SJ do what Kayla says. Now!” Scarlet barked out.

“We need to stop him before he clears this whole forest,” Xavier suggested.

“Would you like to go first?” Mathias replied.

“How about we all charge him at the same time,” Solara suggested. He thought his idea was less suicidal. He knew if Stephan felt threatened he would attack and they weren’t likely to survive individually.

“Are you guys serious?” Scarlet watched as they hoisted.

She moved into his path just as Stephan charged for another tree. Scarlet closed her eyes waiting to feel the impact but hoping he would stop before crushing into her. She waited for a couple of seconds then opened her eyes when nothing happened.

Stephan stared down at her, the look of fury still on his face, but this time his rage was directed at her. “What do you think you are doing?”

“Protecting Mother Nature’s children. What do you think you are doing?” She reverted the question to him.

“Do you know I could have easily killed you? Or do you think that just because you are a vampire you can’t get hurt?” He barked.

“That did cross my mind. But I couldn’t wait for these guys to decide whether or not they were going to stop you.”

“That was smart of them.”

“We already established that that is a quality I do not possess. Why are you ranting and raving like a crazy person on crack? Destroying the scene of the crime is not going to help get our daughter back.” Scarlet shouted back.

“If it was only that easy.” Stephan sighed. He felt mentally exhausted “Marquis left me a message.”

“Baker. SJ told us.” Solara said. “What are we going to do about it?”

“If she thinks she will trick me into her bed one more time, she’s got another thing coming. I’ll kill her first before she makes a fool of me.” Stephan forgot that Scarlet stood behind him and let his words get away from him.

“Excuse me?” Scarlet felt like she had just been punched in the chest. There was the confirmation she needed. But she didn’t think hearing him say it would make it hurt even more.

“Scarlet.” He reached out to her but she pulled away.

“Don’t touch me.” Scarlet no longer breathed, but she found herself struggling to let some air into her lungs. She walked away, tripping over the pieces of wood on the ground.

“Scarlet wait.”

She stomped forward, not seeing where she was going, but still moving.

“Let’s go.” Kayla ushered the rest away. She knew that this would be a long and difficult conversation, the last thing they needed was an audience.

“Scarlet.” Stephan grabbed her from behind and tightly held her against his chest. “Please listen to me.”

“I already know what you are going to say. I suspected it, but I didn’t want to accept it.” She didn’t struggle free, instead, she let her body go limp.

“I had to do it. I didn’t want to.”

“I know. I want to understand. Please let go of me.”

“No.”

“Please. I keep thinking of your hands around her, touching her. Please let go of me.” Stephan released her and she staggered a few steps forward.

“I need to explain this to you.” He pleaded.

“No. The last thing I need is details. Just tell me the part where my daughter comes in.” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

“She wanted for us to be a family. She wanted to be my wife and the children’s mother.”

“And?”

“I said no.”

“What? You already slept with her, what would have one word cost you. Three letters and she would have taken you to our daughter.”

“I realize that, but I couldn’t accept that. She couldn’t take your place.”

“I took Sotera’s place. Besides you just had to make her believe it. You didn’t have to mean it.”

“I know that now. Scarlet I am going to bring our daughter back.”

“I want to believe you, but it just seems that Marquis doesn’t want to give her back. She wants you, so please give her what she wants.”

“I can’t do it. I can’t do it again.”

“Do it for your daughter. Forget about everything else and think about her. If this is what is holding you back I will take them off.” Scarlet pulled out her promise and wedding rings.

“Don’t do that.” Stephan slid them back on. “This is what gives me strength, knowing that you are here. I don’t know for how much longer, but for now, don’t take them off.”

“Stephan right now I need my baby in my arms.”

“I will get her there. I will bring Christina home.”

Scarlet looked at him square in the face. That was the first time he had said her name, and because of it, she had hope. He crushed her into his arms, just in time because her legs turned into jelly.

***